Suitcase with pull rod unit

ABSTRACT

A suitcase includes a case body, a support frame and a pull rod unit, wherein two rollers are connected to an underside of a rear side of the case body and the support frame reinforces the structural strength of the case body. The pull rod unit is connected to the rear side of the case body and extends through a rear plate of the case body and enters an interior of the case body. A lower end of the pull rod unit is connected to the support frame, thereby increasing the storage space.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a suitcase, and more particularly, to asuitcase with pull rod unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional luggage case, garment bag or suitcase generally includesa case body, a pull rod unit and multiple rollers, wherein the pull rodunit is connected to outside of the case body and the rollers areconnected to a roller stand which is fixed to the underside of the casebody. By pulling the collapsible tubes of the pull rod unit, the casebody tilts and movable by the rollers. However, the pull rod unit on theoutside of the case body makes the whole suitcase bulky and occupiessignificant space which is disadvantage for carry and transportation.Besides, the roller stand is exposed on the outside of the suitcase andcan easily be damaged by impact during transportation.

Another suitcase with pull rod unit has a manor difference from theabove-mentioned example and collapsible tubes and the roller stand areenclosed by the fabric of the suitcase. A separation board is used toseparate the collapsible tube and the storage space, in other words, thecollapsible tubes occupy a portion of the storage space.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,768 discloses a luggage case with a space defined inthe rear side thereof so as to accommodate the pull rod unit and theroller stand.

The present invention intends to provide a suitcase with a pull rod unitwherein the collapsible tubes have a portion located within the suitcaseand a portion extends out from the suitcase so as to improve theshortcomings of the conventional suitcases mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a suitcase which comprises a case bodyhaving two rollers connected to an underside of a rear side thereof anda support frame is connected to the case body and supports the casebody. A pull rod unit is connected to the rear side of the case body andextends through a rear plate of the case body and enters an interior ofthe case body. A lower end of the pull rod unit is connected to thesupport frame.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a suitcasewhich pull rod unit extends through the rear side of the case body andis connected to the support frame in the suitcase. By this specificstructure, the storage of the suitcase is maximized.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment inaccordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a back perspective view to show the suitcase of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the suitcase of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of the connection of the pullrod unit and the case body of the suitcase of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a back perspective view to show a second embodiment of thesuitcase of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view to show the suitcase of the present inventionin FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the support frame of the suitcase ofthe present invention;

FIG. 7 is a back perspective view to show a fourth embodiment of thesuitcase of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view to show a fifth embodiment of the suitcaseof the present invention, and

FIG. 9 shows that the flip in FIG. 8 is opened and the pulled rod unitis pulled out.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 to 3 show the first embodiment of the suitcase of the presentinvention which comprises a case body 11, a support frame 12 and a pullrod unit 13, wherein the case body 11 includes two rollers 112 connectedto an underside of a rear side thereof and a support frame 12 isconnected to the rear side of the case body 11 so as to reinforce thestructural strength of the case body 11 and prevent from deformation byimpact. The pull rod unit 13 is connected to the rear side of the casebody 11 and extends through a rear plate 114 of the case body 11 andenters an interior of the case body 11. A lower end of the pull rod unit13 is connected to the support frame 12 so that the users can pull thesuitcase by pulling the pull rod unit 13. The rear plate 114 includestwo first through holes 1144 in a central portion thereof and twoapertures 1142 are defined in a lower edge of the rear plate 114.

The support frame 12 includes a reinforcement plate 122 and a rollerstand 124. The rollers 112 are connected to two ends of the roller stand124. The reinforcement plate 122 is fixed to the rear plate 114 so as toreinforce a structural strength of the rear plate 114 which does not bedeformed or rippled by impact. The reinforcement plate 122 includes twosecond through holes 1224 defined therethrough and two notches 1222defined in a lower edge thereof. The roller stand 124 includes ahorizontal wall 1242, an upright wall 1244 extending from the horizontalwall 1242 and two reception portions 1246 which are connected to thehorizontal wall 1242 and rested on the upright wall 1244. A lower end ofthe rear plate 114 is connected to the upright wall 1244 and sandwichedbetween the reinforcement plate 122 and the upright wall 1244 so thatthe roller stand 124 is fixed to the underside of the rear side of thecase body 11. The reception portions 1246 extend through the apertures1142 of the rear plate 114 and the notches 1222 of the reinforcementplate 122 and are located in the interior of the case body 11.

The pull rod unit 13 includes two collapsible tubes 132, a handle 134and a bridge member 136. The handle 134 is connected between the twocollapsible tubes 132 and the bridge member 136 is connected betweenmediate portions of the two collapsible tubes 132. The bridge member 135is connected to outside of the rear plate 114 and the reinforcementplate 122 by screws 1362. The collapsible tubes 132 extend through thefirst and second through holes 1144, 1224 in the rear plate 114 and thereinforcement plate 122, and two respective lower ends of thecollapsible tubes 132 are inserted into and fixed to the receptionportions 1245 in the case body 11 by screws 1322.

When the user pulls the handle 134 upward to extend the collapsibletubes 132 outward, the suitcase is tilted and moved by the rollers 112.When the suitcase is to be stored or transported, the user pushes thehandle 134 downward and to collapse the collapsible tubes 132 such thatthe handle 134 of the pull rod unit 13 is retrieved at the recessed areaas shown in FIG. 3 of the rear side of the case body 11 and effectivelyreduces the storage space is occupies. Because part of the pull rod unit13 is located outside of the rear side of the case body 11, the storagespace in the case body 11 can be maximized.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the second embodiment of the present invention andwhich includes a case body 21, a support frame 22 and a pull rod unit23, wherein two rollers 212 are connected to an underside of a rear sidethereof and the support frame 22 is connected to the rear side of thecase body 21 so as to reinforce the structural strength of the case body21 and prevent from deformation by impact. The pull rod unit 23 isconnected to the rear side of the case body 21 and extends through arear plate 214 of the case body 21 and enters an interior of the casebody 21. A lower end of the pull rod unit 23 is connected to the supportframe 22. The rear plate 214 includes two first through holes 2144 in acentral portion thereof.

The support frame 22 is a rectangular frame and located in the case body21. The support frame 22 includes two sidewalls 224, a top end and alower end connected between the two sidewalls 224, a first and secondtransverse bars 226, 228 are respectively connected between the twosidewalls 224. The first transverse bar 226 is located close to the topend of the support frame 22 and the second transverse bar 228 isconnected to the lower end of the support frame 22. The support frame 22reinforces structural strength of a top, a bottom and two sides of thecase body 21. The second transverse bar 228 is further connected withthe lower end of the support frame 22.

The pull rod unit 23 includes two collapsible tubes 232, a handle 234and a bridge member 236. The handle 234 is connected between the twocollapsible tubes 232 and the bridge member 236 is connected betweenmediate portions of the two collapsible tubes 232. The bridge member 236is connected to outside of the rear plate 214 and the first transversebar 226 by screws 2362. The collapsible tubes 232 extend through thefirst through holes 2144 and are inserted into the case body 21. Tworespective lower ends of the collapsible tubes 232 are fixed to thesecond transverse bar 228 by screws 2322.

FIG. 6 shows the third embodiment of the present invention, wherein theonly difference from the second embodiment is the support frame 32 whichis a rectangular frame and the first transverse bar in the secondembodiment is replaced by a plate 326 which extends from an underside ofthe top end of the support frame 32 and the second transverse bar 328 usthe same as the transverse bar 228 in the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows the fourth embodiment which is similar to the firstembodiment and includes a case body 41, a support frame 42 and a pullrod unit 43, wherein the an outer plate 44 is connected to the rear sideof the case body 41 and a space is defined between the outer plate 44and the rear side of the case body 41. The pull rod unit 43 is locatedin the space and hidden by the outer plate 44. An opening of the spacedefined between the outer plate 44 and the rear side of the case body 41accommodate the handle of the pull rod unit 43. By the outer plate 44,the collapsible tubes 432 of the pull rod unit 43 can be protected.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the fifth embodiment which is similar to the fourthembodiment wherein the suitcase includes a case body 51, a support frame52, a pull rod unit 53 and a flip 55 which is connected to the rear sideof the case body 51 and covers an opening of the space defined betweenthe outer plate 54 and the rear side of the case body 51. The flip 55has a zipper 56 which connects the flip 55 with the outer plate 44 toclose the opening of the space. The flip 55 covers the pull rod unit 53when not in use and prevents foreign objects from entering the spacewherein the pull rod unit 53 is located.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art thatfurther embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

1. A suitcase comprising: a case body having two rollers connected to anunderside of a rear side thereof and a support frame connected to thecase body and supporting the case body, and a pull rod unit connected tothe rear side of the case body and extending through a rear plate of thecase body and entering an interior of the case body, a lower end of thepull rod unit connected to the support frame.
 2. The suitcase as claimedin claim 1, wherein the support frame includes a reinforcement plate anda roller stand, the reinforcement plate fixed to the rear plate so as toreinforce a structural strength of the rear plate, the roller standincludes a horizontal wall, an upright wall extending from thehorizontal wall and two reception portions which are connected to thehorizontal wall and the upright wall, a lower end of the rear plate isconnected to the upright wall and sandwiched between the reinforcementplate and the upright wall so that the roller stand is fixed to theunderside of the rear side of the case body, the reception portionsextend through the rear plate and the reinforcement plate and located inthe interior of the case body, the pull rod unit includes twocollapsible tubes, a handle and a bridge member, the handle is connectedbetween the two collapsible tubes and the bridge member connectedbetween mediate portions of the two collapsible tubes, the bridge memberis connected to outside of the rear plate and the reinforcement plate byscrews, the collapsible tubes extend through the rear plate and thereinforcement plate, and are inserted into and fixed to the receptionportions in the case body.
 3. The suitcase as claimed in claim 2,wherein the rear plate includes two first through holes and thereinforcement plate includes two second through holes, the collapsibletubes extend through the first and second through holes.
 4. The suitcaseas claimed in claim 2, wherein the rear plate includes two aperturesdefined in a lower edge thereof and the reinforcement plate includes twonotches defined in a lower edge thereof, the two reception portionsextend through the apertures and the notches.
 5. The suitcase as claimedin claim 2, wherein each collapsible tube is fixedly inserted into thereception portions by screws.
 6. The suitcase as claimed in claim 2,wherein the rollers are connected to two ends of the roller stand. 7.The suitcase as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support frame is arectangular frame and located in the case body, the support frameincludes two sidewalls, a top end and a lower end connected between thetwo sidewalls, a first and second transverse bars are respectivelyconnected between the two sidewalls, the support frame reinforcesstructural strength of a top, a bottom and two sides of the case body,the second transverse bar is further connected with the lower end of thesupport frame, the pull rod unit includes two collapsible tubes, ahandle and a bridge member, the handle is connected between the twocollapsible tubes and the bridge member connected between mediateportions of the two collapsible tubes, the bridge member is connected tooutside of the rear plate and the first transverse bar by screws, thecollapsible tubes extend through the rear plate and are fixed to thesecond transverse bar.
 8. The suitcase as claimed in claim 7, whereinthe first transverse bar is located close to the top end of the supportframe.
 9. The suitcase as claimed in claim 7, wherein the secondtransverse bar is connected to the lower end of the support frame. 10.The suitcase as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rear plate includes twofirst through holes and the collapsible tube extend through the firstthrough holes and are inserted into the case body.
 11. The suitcase asclaimed in claim 7, wherein two respective lower ends of the collapsibletubes are fixed to the second transverse bar by screws.
 12. The suitcaseas claimed in claim 1, wherein an outer plate is connected to the rearside of the case body and a space is defined between the outer plate andthe rear side of the case body, the pull rod unit is located in thespace and hidden by the outer plate.
 13. The suitcase as claimed inclaim 12, wherein a flip is connected to the rear side of the case bodyand covers an opening of the space defined between the outer plate andthe rear side of the case body, the flip has a zipper which connects theflip with the outer plate to close the opening of the space.